1782 - Political Events

Political Events

Parliament votes February 24 to abandon further prosecution of the war against Britain's American colonies, the northern Dutch province of Friesland votes February 26 to instruct its delegates in the States-General to recognize John Adams as minister from the United States, the British prime minister Lord North resigns in the House of Commons March 20, a new government headed by Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, comes to power with a mandate to make peace, he sends M.P. Thomas Grenville, 27, to Paris with instructions to open peace talks with Benjamin Franklin (see Treaty of Paris, 1783), and the Province of Holland recognizes American independence March 28. Rockingham dies at London July 1 at age 52 and is buried in York Minster; William Fitzmaurice Petty, 45, 2nd earl of Shelburne, heads a new coalition ministry, serving as first lord of the treasury and first minister while his longtime Whig critic Charles James Fox sits in his cabinet.

Admiral de Grasse takes the Caribbean islands of Montserrat and Saint Kitts in January He sets out from Martinique April 8 with 35 ships and 150 merchantmen, but Admiral Rodney intercepts his fleet and forestalls a union between French and Spanish naval forces for an assault on Jamaica. Rodney restores British control of the Caribbean April 12 by defeating a French fleet under de Grasse in the Battle of the Saintes, fought in the strait between Guadeloupe and Dominica (see 1781). De Grasse is taken prisoner but will return to France next year, publish a memoir justifying his action, and win acquittal from a court martial in 1784.

General Robert Monckton dies at London May 21 at age 55.

Spanish forces complete their conquest of Florida from the British.

British forces evacuate Savannah in July and Charleston in December but will continue to occupy New York until November of next year.

The Order of the Purple Heart established by General Washington August 7 honors soldiers who have distinguished themselves in battle (Washington's authorization will not be found until the early 1930s, after which the medal will be awarded to those who have sustained wounds).

General Charles Lee dies of pneumonia at a Philadelphia tavern October 2 at age 51, having been suspended from the army for his criticism of General Washington, whom he has continued to call a "puffed up charlatan" and other things. Washington, members of the Continental Congress, and other dignitaries nevertheless attend his funeral.

Spanish forces in the viceroyalty of Peru suppress a 2-year revolt in the Audencia of Cuzco (see 1781; San Martin, 1820).

Britain repeals Poyning's Law of 1494, which required approval by the English privy council of any law passed by the Irish parliament. Repeal of the law crowns a campaign by Dublin-born politician Henry Grattan, now 37, who has gained support for his cause from the Irish Volunteers, a militia organized to defend Ireland against a possible French invasion. Grattan's rival Henry Flood says that Grattan has not gone far enough in his reforms; now 50 and no match for Grattan as orator, Flood nevertheless obtains passage of a bill requiring the English parliament to renounce all claims to control Irish legislation.

Britain's Royal George sinks without warning August 29 while being repaired at Portsmouth. The flagship of Admiral Richard Kempenfelt, 64, she goes down off Spithead with 800 men, including the admiral. Lloyd's members subscribe £6,000 to a Patriotic Fund set up for the widows and orphans.

French and Spanish forces laying siege to Gibraltar take Minorca from the British, whose governor general James Murray is court-martialed back in England, acquitted, and made a general, but Lord Richard Howe, now 66, relieves Gibraltar in the fall, commanding his 33 ill-equipped and ill-manned ships with such skill that he outmaneuvers the 46 French and Spanish ships of the line.

Siam's mentally unstable king Taksin is deposed and executed at Thon Buri April 6 at age 47 after a 15-year reign in which his ministers have reunited the country and extended its influence into Cambodia, Laos, and the Malay states. Minor officials have rebelled against his efforts to force Buddhist monks and other subjects to accept his religious notions; Taksin has recalled his chief general Phraphutthayotfa Chulalok, 45, from campaigning in Cambodia, and the general is elevated to the throne. The new king moves his capital across the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok and will reign until 1809, ending Siam's long conflict with Burma in 1793, re-establishing royal control over local potentates, gaining part of Cambodia by dividing that country with Vietnam (see 1605; 1796), and beginning the Chakri dynasty that will rule Siam until 1932.

Orphaned Vietnamese prince Nguyen Anh tries to regain control of the south but the effort ends in disaster (see 1777). Now 20, he meets the Roman Catholic missionary Pierre-Joseph-Georges Pigneau de Béhaine, 40, on the French-held island of Kah Kut, near Phu Quoc, and the bishop befriends him (see 1787).

The Burmese prince Bowdawpaya, 41, makes himself king by overthrowing his grandnephew Maung Maung and having him executed. A son of the late Alaungpaya, who died in 1760, Bodawpaya will reign until 1819 (see 1784).

The first Anglo-Maratha War in India ends in May with the signing of the Treaty of Salbai after 7 years of conflict; Britain retains Salsette Island near Bombay (Mumbai) but agrees to abandon Raghunath (but see 1802). The 2-year-old Mysore War goes on. Mysore's Haidar Ali dies suddenly at age 60; his son Tipu Sahib, 31, is crowned sultan; and he continues hostilities against the British, whose governor general Warren Hastings will be accused of having confiscated the treasure and part of the lands of the begum of Oudh. Mother of the late Chait Singh, rajah of Benares, she employs 50 barbers and 4,000 gardeners (see 1784).

The mestizo Communero rebel leader José Antonio Galán is hanged in New Granada January 30 after trying to organize a second march on Bogotá (see 1781).